RuPaul’s Drag U – Meet the Faculty: Morgan McMichaels

With the season finale of RuPaul’s Drag U‘s second season just hours away, we managed to snag an interview with another of Ru’s esteemed “fal-culty”, the “Scottish Scandal” herself, Morgan McMichaels! One of the returning drag professors from season one, this sassy, sexy sensation dishes about her Drag U makeovers – including working with a legendary singer from one of the 80s greatest girl groups, her fellow queens and what she’s been up to lately. Along the way, we talk inspirations, music, comedy and get an update on Drag Race season 2 favorite, Sonique! Class is in session!

Socialite Life: We’re so glad to see you back on Drag U. Did you have any hesitation about coming back?Morgan McMichaels: I had absolutely no hesitation coming back to Drag U, I was so happy when RuPaul asked me to return as a professor this year. I get to work with my Drag Race and Drag U sisters again and we get to help these women become fabulous!

More from Morgan McMichaels…

SL: Did you find this season’s experience any different from last season? If so, how?Morgan: The first season of Drag U was groundbreaking, there has never been a show like it on television – drag queens making biological women just as fabulous as we are! There will never be another season like it. I found this second season of Drag U even more amazing than the last; there were more tools and support to work with to help these ladies out, not to mention even more Drag U professors!

SL: Which 80s icon do you make over on the 80s Ladies episode? What was it like working with those pop culture legends?Morgan: I got Jane Wiedlin! She was of course one of the stars in the group the Go-Go’s! She was amazing to work with, we both have a rock ‘n’ roll attitude so she and I had the most interesting and fun time! She was very open minded – you know that makes this professor very happy! The other 80s divas were just as fabulous and fun to work with also. True beauty transcends decades, let me tell you!

SL: Is (guest judge) Lynda Carter as fabulous in person as she is on television?Morgan: Can we talk about Lynda Carter? The woman has not aged a day since she was the star of television’s Wonder Woman! She is absolutely gorgeous inside and out, her eyes could not possibly be anymore piercing! That’s the thing about a true diva, she doesn’t act like one….she walked around to every single person on the set and introduced herself and extended her hand! What an amazing lady, it was truly and honor to have met her…P.S. – her CD is a country gem, please check it out!

SL: What celebrity would you like to give a Drag U makeover to?Morgan: My celebrity choice would be Lindsay Lohan! The girl needs to get back on the right track and I guarantee that she would benefit from a visit to RuPaul’s Drag U.

SL: Did you pick up any helpful tips from the other queens?
Morgan: One of the luxuries of working on a show with RuPaul and the rest of the Drag U professors is we all get to share little drag secrets we have picked up along the way, I feel so blessed to be able to work with the queen of drag and all of these fantastic entertainers! Every time we work on Drag U, I believe that we all get some sort of makeover. God knows no one is too fabulous to turn down a fabulous tip!

SL: Who has been your favorite queen to work with?Morgan: I love all of my Drag U sisters! I love the fact that every queen brings something so genuine and unique to the show. I will have to say that my favorite queen to work with was Bebe Zahara Benet! From the moment we got together, we had a blast! We actually got in a wee bit of trouble from the president of Drag U, RuPaul (of course not real trouble)! We were always laughing so much. I felt like we the students for a second!

SL: What do you feel was your biggest challenge this season?Morgan: I find the biggest challenge that I face on any season of Drag U is not letting down the women that entrust their faith in us….It is so important to make these women’s dreams come true !

SL: What, if anything, did you gain from this experience?Morgan: Well, every time I work with RuPaul I learn so much, her wisdom is great and it is so positive. The whole crew and cast that you get to work with makes for such a learning experience, these people are so creative and intelligent so I try and soak it up like a sponge!

SL: Before the Emmy nominations were announced this year, there was a lot of talk surrounding Drag Race - why do you think the show is so popular – and continues to grow in popularity?Morgan: I think that RuPaul really broke barriers in the 90s, becoming the first drag queen superstar. She has done the same thing again with RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag U. The respective shows are so popular because they touch on another form of entertainment that the masses haven’t seen since she premiered over 20 years ago! RuPaul’s Drag U is an inspirational show, the whole concept of the show is a positive one. I think that people identify with that because everyone has a diva inside them! It is a feel good show where everyone is a winner inside and out.

SL: Have you picked up any new beauty tips or discovered any must-have beauty products since we last talked?Morgan: I have learned a lot from my Drag U sisters as well as my makeup artist friends which I am lucky to know, but if I tell you I would have to kill you! LOL…

SL: Are you still close with Sonique? How’s she doing?Morgan: Well, since Drag Race season 2, Sonique and I have gotten so much closer. I moved her out here to California from Atlanta and she has totally fit right in! She is a California girl through and through. Sonique has really blossomed in this environment, she’s joined many shows and casts here in California, including my family, the Dreamgirls revue. She is also becoming the most beautiful woman and taking her transition very slow and doing everything the right way. She has legally changed her name to Kylie Sonique Love. I think that moving to a new place while she is transitioning has done wonders for her as there is no judgement from the people she has grown up with…I am so proud of her for the path that she has taken and things will continue to go up for Sonique…I love her very much!

SL: Your Pink impersonation is awesome, but you have done fabulous performances by other artists as well. Who’s been inspiring you lately?Morgan: I find so much inspiration from artists all over the world, but Pink is still my favorite character to do…. I also enjoy doing Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue and Annie Lennox. My newer favorite artists to perform are Robyn, she is fantastic, her “Body Talk” albums are really amazing. I also love Dev, she is hard and bad ass! I also draw a lot of my inspirations from television shows, movies and pop culture phenomenons. I love performing as Tabatha Coffey from Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, Patsy Stone from Absolutely Fabulous and country singer Laura Bell Bundy‘s Shocantelle Brown! There is a singer who I am in love with and have the honor to call friend, her name is Kaya Jones, formerly of the Pussycat Dolls, her voice is angelic…make sure you check her out! I am always open to new ideas and suggestions, so I want all my “Morgasms” to let me know who they like and what inspires them!

SL: Are you still working with the silks?Morgan: I have been so very busy this summer that I haven’t had the opportunity to get near silks at all. I would love to perfect it so I could utilize silks during one of my shows !

SL: When I saw you in Riverside, you did a comedy mash-up as part of your act (which was awesome). Did you always incorporate comedy into your act or was that a result of hanging around with Pandora Boxx?Morgan: I have a British sense of humor – dry, blunt and brash – so I am glad you liked it! I have always tried to incorporate comedy into my shows because it makes the audience laugh and relax a little more. I think that drag is fun and should everyone involved should laugh….Now hanging out with Pandora Boxx hasn’t hurt, as we all know Pandora has such a fun, funky sense of humor which has made me look at things in a different way…thanks, fake lady!

SL: What’s next for you?Morgan: I have a lot on my plate coming up. I have already been blessed with being busy the last two years. I am finishing up more songs that I have written and I am also writing some songs for some singer friends of mine…. I have punched out a couple songs for my Drag Race sisters that hopefully they will record. I have other projects in the works that I am looking forward to unveiling to you soon!

SL: The last time we chatted, you were talking about working on some music. What’s the status on that?Morgan: My first single is due to be released very soon, it has been recorded and all wrapped up. I would prefer to shoot the video to accompany the song, if I got a second to do it, LOL!
Follow Morgan on Twitter (@morganmcmichael) and see clips of her unforgettable performances on her Facebook page – and don’t miss the season finale of RuPaul’s Drag U, tonight at 9pm on Logo! You can also join in the live blog party at LogoTV.com – don’t flunk it up!

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I am a 55 year old grandmother with 5 grand babies. I want to be the beautiful and sexy. Please think about me next time you need someone to create. I will do what ever you think I should do. I need this.

Ru needs to train/mentor some next generation TVs/TGs who are hardly represented. Doesn’t seem to be getting much coverage in the regular mainstream media this side anyway, very much. Maybe a different look, or a series of different looks for the apprentices?

Dear Drag U,
I am a MTF Transgendered woman preop. would love to come to Drag U and let the inner woman cime out I live in Bradenton Florida I need help with hair and makeup to shine. I am 52 years of age Please help me!